Covid in Scotland: Aim to offer boosters to all adults by end of year

Scotland is aiming to offer Covid booster vaccine appointments to all over-18s by the end of the year, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said.

She confirmed "urgent work" was under way to step up the pace of the vaccine roll out but warned more restrictions might still be needed.

It followed a televised address by the prime minister warning of a "tidal wave" of the new Omicron variant.

People aged 30-39 will be able to book a booster from 10:00 on Monday.

Appointments will be open to 18 to 29-year-olds later in the week.

Early analysis of UK Omicron and Delta cases shows two doses of Covid vaccine are not enough to stop people catching the new variant.

But a booster prevents about 75% of people getting any Covid symptoms.

Boris Johnson declared an "Omicron emergency" in a TV statement on Sunday evening and outlined plans to ramp up the booster programme in England.

He said the UK government would give extra support to speed up vaccinations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

It came as the UK's Covid alert level was raised to four - a high or rising level of transmission - due to the spread of the new variant.

Following Mr Johnson's address, Ms Sturgeon confirmed the original plan to offer boosters to all adults by the end of January had been brought forward.

She said: "I can confirm that urgent work is under way to further accelerate roll out of the booster vaccination programme in Scotland.

"Scotland already has the highest proportion of the over-12 population protected with booster or third doses of all the UK nations.

"Now, however, urgent efforts are being made to step up the pace even further with the aim of offering a booster jag appointment to all eligible adults by the end of this year if possible."

She said ministers would consider the latest data on Covid on Tuesday before setting out any decisions on restrictions to parliament later that day.

The first minister said she would also confirm details of the accelerated booster roll-out.

"Getting booster jags into people's arms as quickly as possible is essential given what we now know about Omicron and the importance of boosters in ensuring maximum protection against the new variant," Ms Sturgeon added.

"Given the expected volume of cases in the weeks ahead, however, it is also possible that further, proportionate protective measures or advice will be necessary. This is true even if Omicron proves to be slightly less severe than Delta.

"The number of cases will still put significant pressure on the NHS and the economy."

She urged people to get vaccinated, take a Covid test before mixing with other households, work from home if possible, wear face coverings and follow all hygiene advice.

Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross called for mass vaccination centres to be reopened.

"We urge the Scottish government to do whatever it takes to increase the pace of the booster jag rollout because that is likely to be the crucial difference between avoiding or introducing stricter restrictions," he said.

"In Tuesday's Covid update, we need Nicola Sturgeon to launch a full-scale mobilisation of every available member of staff and volunteer to accelerate the booster jag scheme urgently."

The aim to speed up the booster programme and offer every adult their extra jag by the end of the year is shared by the Scottish and UK governments.

It is a huge undertaking over the festive period and given there are just two and a half weeks of 2021 remaining, Nicola Sturgeon is reluctant to overpromise.

Her commitment has an important caveat attached: "if possible".

She does not yet know that even with extra finance and military support from the UK government it can definitely be done.

The health secretary, Humza Yousaf, has said he's "confident" of delivery but don't be surprised if some of the booster jagging spills over into the early days of the new year.

Before then, Holyrood ministers think further Covid restrictions may be necessary and will discuss options to limit the spread of omicron at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

Every adult in Scotland is to be offered a booster, following the latest guidance from the JCVI - the UK government's vaccine advisors.

Booster vaccinations are now being given three months on from a second dose - rather than after six months.

Accelerating the vaccination programme has become the UK's main line of defence against the Omicron variant.

In total 2,116,228 people in Scotland have now had their booster. The scheme was extended to people aged over 40 last month.

On Sunday, 4,002 new Covid cases were confirmed in Scotland. The total number of Omicron cases across nine of the country's 14 health boards reached 159.